Vending apparatus



3 1960 H. B. STONER ETAL VENDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 20, 1950 INVENTORS HARRY B. STONER Eowm PARRE. ROBERT L-MCGARY July 26, 1960 H. B. STONER ETAL 2,946,483

VENDING APPARATUS Original Filed May 20, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS HARRY 5.51'0NER Eowm PARRE Ra BERT L. McGARv July 26, 1960 H. B. STONER ETAl.

VENDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 20, 1950 HARRY B. NEE Eowm PARRE Roazm L-MCGARY July 26, 1960 H. B. STONER ET AL 2,946,483

VENDING APPARATUS Original Filed May 20, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS HARRY 8. 511mm Enwm PARRE ROBERT L. Mc GARY 2,946,483 VENDING APPARATUS Harry B. Stoner, Edwin Parre, and Robert L. McGary, Aurora, 11]., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri 4 Claims. (Cl. 221-243) This application is a division of application Serial No. 163,274, filed May 20, 1950. I

The invention relates to improvements in vending machines and is specifically concerned with the novel construction of rugged yieldable plunger mechanism manually operable to effect actuation of the merchandise vending mechanism.

Vending machines of'the character disclosed in this application are adapted to dispense selected merchandise from one of a plurality of stacks of merchandise upon the insertion of a proper coin and manual manipulation of a normally retracted reciprocal plunger. There is one plunger associated with each stack and it is not unusual for one or more of the plungers to be pulled out without first inserting a proper coin. It frequently'happens, also, that after a coin has been inserted to permit operation of one plunger, the operator seeks to operate a second plunger in conjunction therewith. When either of these instances occur in prior types of vending machines damage may result to the vending mechanism. The present invention is concerned with the novel construction of the plunger and the plunger controlled mechanism which is such that any one or all of the plungers may bepulled outwardly, as during a vending operation, but in the absence of a coin to unlock the vending mechanism, without damage to either the plunger or its associated mechanism. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a novelly constructed yieldable operating plunger mechanism for a vending machine. 7

Another object is to provide novel plunger actuated mechanisms with means-normally connecting them one operatively with each of a set of'plungers.

Another object is to providenovelmeans to disengagingly connect a plunger with coincontrolled mechanism so as to eifectactuation of the latter upon manipulation of the plunger when a coin is deposited in said mechanism.

Another object is to provide a novel rugged plunger actuated mechanism which is not expensive to manufacture, is easy to assemble and install as a unit and is positive in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in viewwhich will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, ar-- rangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the'accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit ,or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. V

For thepurpose of facilitating an understanding of our nited States Patent invention, we have illustrated in the accompanying draw-,

ings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the follow- 7 ing description, our invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, "and manybf itsadvantages 7 should be readily understood and apprepiated. ,7

. engaged during machine operation.

2,946,483 Patented July 26, 1960 Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a vending machine mechanism, the customary housing or casing having been omitted for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 4. V

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts in a position assumed during machine operation. 7

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the actuating plunger withdrawn while the ejector mechanism is locked.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The vending machine mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings is contained within a built up frame structure adapted to be mounted as a unit in a suitable casing (not shown). The frame structure consists of a pair of end walls 11, a front wall 12, a back wall 13 and a connecting floor plate 14. The end walls 11 may be secured to the front walls as by means of screws 15 and said end walls extend upwardly a suitable distance beyond said floor plate 14. A plurality of merchandise racks, generally indicated at 16, is arranged between the upwardly extending portions of the end walls 11. As best shown in Fig. 2, the merchandise racks may consist of a plurality of vertically extending longitudinally spaced partition walls 17 secured in parallel relationship, adjacent their upper ends, by a cross plate 18 (Fig. 1), which may be spot welded or otherwise secured thereto. The lower ends of the partition walls 17 are anchored in the floor plate 14 adjacent its rear edge.

The racks 16 are intended to contain merchandise to be dispensed from the machine upon manipulation of manually actuated ejector means to be described presently. It might be noted that the racks 16 have a common rear wall 19 constructed from a sheet of material formed on its lower end so as to be pivotally mounted, as at 21, to the end walls 11, whereby said rear walls 19 may be moved into the rack closing position shown'in Fig. 1 or tilted rearwardly and downwardly so as to afiford access to the racks for purposes of filling the same. The bottom anism.

Each ejector mechanism includes means for manually actuating the same. As best shown in Figs. 3 through 7, such means includes a plunger 24 which projects through an opening 25 in the front wall 12 so as to be manually The inner end of the plunger is provided with an axial bore 26 to. telescopically receive a pin 27 firmly secured at its rear end in the back wall 13. A washer or collar 28 is mounted loosely on the plunger 24 inwardly of its rearrnost end and a compression spring 29 is mounted on said plunger with one end bearing against said washer 28 and itsjother end against the inside face of the front wall 12 so as to urge the washer normally toward the rear end of the ,3 plunger 24. A split ring constituting a flange 30 is carried firmly on the rearmost end of the plunger 24.

The portion of the plunger 24 between the washer 28 and flange 30 isadapted to receive thereover a tubular portion 31 formed on the lower end of a sheet metal bracket 32, which bracket includes a wall portion 33 extending upwardly therefrom and a horizontally disposed flange 34. The flange 34 has a longitudinal slot 35 (Fig. 7) opening onto its rearmost edge. This slot is provided for the reception of 21 depending flange 36 formed on the lower end of a slide 37, the upper end of which has a portion thereof bent substantially horizontally, as at 38. The horizontal portion 38 of slide 37 is located just below the floor plate 14. V

Upon referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the floor plate 14 has slots 39, one beneath each rack 16, and extending inwardly from, and opening onto the back wall 13. An ejector tab 40 is arranged so as :to overlie each slot 39 and said tabs are fixedly secured one to each of the underlying flanges 38, as by means of rivets 41 extending therethrough and passing through the respective slot 39. Each tab 40may include a face plate 42 of a size corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional area of the rack 16 beneath which it is disposed. A spring 43 operatively connects the bracket 32 with the slide ,37 so that under normal conditions of operation the bracket and slide move in unison. Specifically, the spring 43 is connected at one end to an ear 44 on the slide 37 and a lug 45 formed integral with the bracket 32.

It should be obvious, insofar as the construction has been described, that when a plunger 24 is engaged manually and pulled outwardly from the front wall 12, against the tension of spring 29, the related ejector tab 40 is moved a corresponding distance in a direction toward the front of the machine. Such movement of the ejector tab carries the face plate 42 out from beneath the merchandise in the rack (Fig. thus permitting said merchandise to drop downwardly onto the floor plate 14 whereupon the lowermost piece of merchandise is discharged through the gap 22 when the plunger is released.

Should sliding movement of the ejector tab 40 and face plate 42 be prevented, owing to the presence of a barrier in their path, or for any other cause, the plunger 24 may be pulled outwardly through an operating stroke without damaging either the plunger or the ejector mechanism. Such movement is illustrated in Fig. 6 and is permitted because of the spring 43, which is sufficiently tensioned to carry the slide 37 with the bracket 32 upon normal operation but, which permits independent movement of the bracket 32 should the slide 37 be held against such movement.

Means is provided in the machine illustrated to aliord selective actuation of but one of the plurality of plungers 24. Such means includes coin-controlled mechanism, generally indicated at 48, which will be described hereinafter. The control means also includes a lock plate 49 which is spaced above the floor plate 14 and extends the width of the vending machine. Ears 51 are provided one end on each end of the lock plate 49, each of which carries a pin 52 which extends through an opening in the related end wall 11 whereby the lock plate 49 is mounted for rocking movement. The lock plate 49 is located above the ejector mechanism tabs 40 and locking elements 53 are carried by said lock plate 49, one such element bemg provided in association with each ejector tab 40.

Each locking element 53 is substantially rectangular and 1s hlngedly mounted at one end on one edge of the lock plate 49. The other edge of the lock plate 49 has an upwardly and inwardly turned lip 54 against which the free end of a leaf spring 55, firmly secured at its other end to the locking element 53, abuts. It should be obvious from the foregoing that the springs 55 normally in face-to-face hold the respective locking element 53 contact with the lock plate49,

When the lock plate and locking element are in the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the downwardly turned fingers 56 on the free forked end of the locking element 53 rest upon the floor plate 14. When in this position they lie in the path of the ejector tab 40 so as to prevent movement of said tab in one direction beyond said fingers. Obviously, any attempted operation of the vending mechanism, in the absence .of a coin, would result in axial reciprocation of a plunger or plungers only. Means is provided, 'to be described presently, for rocking the lock plate 49 about its pivot 52 so as to lift the fingers 56 of the locking elements 53 into a plane above the top plane of the ejector mechanism face plate 42. When the lock plate and locking elements thereon are in such position, as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 3, the ejector mechanism can be actuated in the absence of additional locking means, so as to carry one or all of the ejector tabs 40 forwardly out from beneath its related rack 16.

'It is, therefore, necessary that the vending machine mechanism include additional means to prevent ejection operation of more than one ejector mechanism when the ejector mechanisms are unlocked. Accordingly, an inverted channel 57, suitably fashioned from sheet stock, is arranged on the top face of the floor plate 14. As best shown in Fig. 2, the channel has portions of its side walls cut-away in registering alignment with the ejector tabs 40 so that projections 58 on the ejector tab 40 may pass therebeneath when the ejector mechanism is actuated. Each projection 58 is provided with an end cam surface 59 so that when a projection is advanced through the channel 53, in the manner illustrated at the left-hand side of Fig. 2, slidable block members 61 arranged in said channel to normally block passage of said projections, are separated thereby. These blocks are provided in sufiicient numbers to substantially fill the channel 57 so that when adjacent blocks are separated by passage of a projection 58 therebetween the remaining blocks are jammed closely together to prevent passage of a second finger 58 therebetween. I In this manner, and under normal conditions of operation, only one ejector mechanism can be actuated each time the lock plate is rocked upwardly. g

It has been found that a machine having mechanical locking means in the form ofblock members 61. can be operated fraudulently, A condition permitting such operation exists when the coin-controlled locking means is initially actuated to unlock the ejector mechanisms. When the vending mechanism is in such condition, an operator will grasp two plungers 24 and, by skillful timed sequential rapid reciprocation of alternate plungers, may efiect repeated ejection of merchandise. This can be accomplished only when manipulation-of the two plungers is attended with sufiicient rapidity as to prevent the coin-controlled locking means from dropping into the paths of the ejector tabs 40. Potential fraudulent operation, in the manner described hereinabove, is effectively prevented by the structure disclosed.

As has been noted hereinbefore, the lock plate 49 is moved initially into unlocking position to permit a selected ejector mechanism to be actuated. Rocking of the lock plate is effected upon operation of the coincontrolled mechanism 48 to be described hereinafter. It is sufficient to note at this time that the coin-controlled mechanism 48 includes means to hold a coin in such position as to cause to engage the lock plate 49 during initial operation only of the coin-controlled mechanism. This engagement between the coin and the lock constitutes the means for rocking the lock plate into unlocking position (broken lines Fig. 3). As soon as actuation of the coin-controlled mechanism has been effected sufficiently to carry the coin held therein out of engagement with the lock plate 49, said lock plate drops downwardly into its originallocking position. "However, inasmuch as actuation of cdiil l-cbntr'olled mechanism is controlled of the coin holder 63.

by manipulation of one of the plungers 24, in a manner to be described presently, the ejector mechanism associated with such plunger is moved into a position to locate its shoulder beyond the fingers 56 of the related locking element 53 (Fig. 5). The remaining locking elements on the lock plate 49 will, however, return to their original ejector-locking positions (Figs. 3 and 6). Thus, it will be noted that only one ejector mechanism is unlocked. Consequently, fraudulent manipulation, in the manner hereinabove described or in any other manner, of more than one plunger 24 is effectively prevented.

The coin-controlled mechanism 48, best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, includes a coin-acceptor, generally indicated at 62, and a coin holder 63. The coin-acceptor mechanism may be of any conventional construction designed to receive and deposit a coin in a receptacle 64 receptacle 64, it is held in such position that when the coin holder 63 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction in a manner described hereinafter, the coin is carried beneath the lock plate 49 so as to rock said plate about its pivot and unlock the ejector elements 53.

In machine operation, after a coin has been deposited, a selected plunger 24 is pulled outwardly initially to actuate an ejector mechanism, and a bell-crank lever 65 is carried forwardly therewith. A forward cam surface 66 on said lever contacts the forward edge of an opening 67 (Fig. 2) in floor plate 14, whereby said lever is rocked in counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 68 to engage its hooked portion 69 over a strap 71. As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the strap 71 extends beneath the floor plate 14 and has its down-turned ends 72 journalled on a rod 73, which rod constitutes the axis for the coin-controlled mechanism 48, movable with strap 71. The plunger is thereby automatically connected positively with the coin-.

controlled mechanism. Continued withdrawal of the plunger imparts counter-clockwise rotation to the coin holder 63 by virtue of the contact of the forward edge surface of the slide 37 with the rear edge of the strap 71 so. as to carry the coin in the coin holder beneath the lock plate 49 for rocking it in the manner described hereinabove. This permits a complete withdrawal operation of the plunger and the withdrawal of the associated ejector tab face plate.

When a withdrawn plunger is released, the ejector mechanism returns to its initial position by reason of the spring 29. This causes a piece of merchandise to be discharged from the associated rack. The engagement of the lever 65 with the strap portion 71 also insures return movement of the coin-controlled mechanism when the plunger is released and, when the parts are in their initial position, the bell-crank lever 65 is disengaged from the strap portion by abutment of its rear end portion 74 with a back wall bar 75.

Inasmuch as the coin-acceptor mechanism 62 is conventional and does not constitute a part of the present invention, it is not deemed necessary to enter into a full and complete description of its construction and specific mode of operation. It should be quite evident however, i

that should a plunger 24 be pulled outwardly manually while the ejector mechanism associated therewith is locked by the lock plate members 56, the bracket 32 carried thereby will move independently of the slide member 37 mounted thereon. Consequently, no damage can result to the plunger mechanism or to the ejector mechanism upon improper actuation of the plungers.

The vending machine plunger-ejector mechanism is provided with conventional means generally indicated at 46 and 47 to prevent reciprocal movement of an ejector tab Without having moved the plunger through a complete stroke during vending operation of the machine. As is shown in Fig. 4, the pawl 47 is pivoted on one of the end walls 11 and the ratchet'46 is secured to one of the down-turned ends 72 of the strap 71. This prevents fraudulent manipulation of the vending machine and is com- When a coin is received in the mon' to such machines and consequently,is not disclosed or described herein in detail; It might be observed however, that, should a plunger 24 be but partially withdrawn, it may be pushed back into its initial position without effecting movement of the bracket 32 or ejector tab 40 owing to the presence of the. loose washer 28 against which the spring 29 acts.

It is believed that our invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of our invention as defined in the appended claims. 1

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the:United States is:

1. A vending machine comprising container means for containing a stack of merchandise units to be vended and having a discharge opening through which said units may be dispensed therefrom, a stationary frame, an ejector slidably mounted on said. frame for alternate reciprocal movement in a forward direction to permit one of said units to move to a position in alignment with said discharge opening and in a rearward direction to eject said one unit from said container means through said discharge opening, a manually operable plunger slidably mounted on said frame foralternate reciprocal move ment in said forward and rearward directions and adapted to be manually pulled by a customer in said forward direction toward said customer, an interconnecting member slidably engaging said ejector and slidably mounted on said plunger for reciprocal movement of said member in said forward and rearward directions, a'first yieldable spring means urging'said member rearwardly,'a first pair of coacting means on said plunger and said member and mutually engageable for moving said member forwardly in response to manual pulling of said plunger forwardly and for moving said plunger rearwardly in response to rearward movement of said member by said first yieldable spring means, said first pair of coacting means being disengageable in response to relative rearward movement of said plunger with respect to said member, said plunger and said member being normally maintained in rearward positions by said first spring means when the machine is at rest, a second yieldable spring means urging said ejector forwardly, and a second pair of coacting means on said member and said ejector and mutually engageable for moving said ejector rearwardly in response to rearward movement of said member and mutually disengageable in response to forward movement of said member.

2. A vending machine comprising container means for containing a stack of merchandise units to be vended, a stationary frame, an ejector slidably mounted on said frame for alternate reciprocal movement in forward and rearward directions to cause one of said units to be dispensed from said container means, a manually operable plunger slidably mounted on said frame for alternate reciprocal movement in said forward and rearward directions and adapted to be pulled bya customer in said forward direction toward said customer, an interconnecting member slidably mounted for reciprocal movement in said forward and rearward directions, a first yieldable spring means urging said member rearwardly, a first pair of coacting means on said plunger and said member and mutually engageable for moving said member forwardly in response to manual pulling of said plunger forwardly and for moving said plunger rearwardly in response to rearward movement of said member by said first yieldable spring means, said first pair of coacting means being disward movement of said memberand mutually disengageable in response to forward movement of said member. 3. A vending machine comprising container means for containing a stack of merchandise'units to be vended and having a discharge opening through which said units may be dispensed therefrom, a reciprocally mounted ejector movable forwardly to permit one of said units to move to a position in alignment 'with said discharge opening and movable 'rearwardly to eject said one unit from said container means through said discharge opening, a manually operable plunger mounted for alternate reciprocal movement in said forward and rearward directions and adapted to be pulled by a customer in said forward direction toward said customer, an interconnecting member mounted for alternate reciprocal movement in said forward and rearward directions, a first yieldable spring means urging saidmember in said rearward direction, a first pair of coacting means on said plunger and said memher and mutually engageable for moving said member forwardly in response to forward movement of said plunger and mutually disengageable in response to rearward movement of said plunger, said first spring means normally maintaining said member and said plunger in rearmost positions when-the machineis at rest, a second yieldable spring means urging said ejector forwardly, and a second pair of coacting means on said member and said ejector and mutually engageable for moving said ejector rearwardly in response to rearward movement of said member and mutually disengageable in response to forward movement of said member.

4. A vending machine comprising container means for containing a stack of merchandise units to be *vended and having a discharge opening through which said units may be dispensed therefrom, an ejector means alternately movable in forward and rearwarddirections to dispense a unit from said container means through said discharge opening, a manually operable plunger mounted for alternate movement in said forward and rearward directions and adapted to be pulled by a customer in said forward direction toward said customer, an interconnecting member mounted for alternate movement in .said forward and rearward directions, a first yieldable spring means urging said member in said rearward direction, a first ,pair of coacting means on .said plunger .and said member and mutually engageable for moving said memberforwardly in response to forward movement of said plunger and for moving said plunger rearwardly in response to rearward movement of said member and mutually disengageable in response to rearward movement of said plunger, a second yieldable spring means urging said ejector means forwardly, and a second pair of coacting means on said member and said ejector means and mutually engageable for moving said ejector means rearwardly in response to rearward movement of said member. and mutually. disengageable in response to forward movement of said member.

References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 845,045 Barnes Feb. 26, 1907 2,105,644 Gebert et al. Jan. 118, 1938 2,129,322 Hakanson Sept. '6, 1938 2,241,489 Steiner May :13, 1941 2,564,990 Leschin Apr. 25, 1950 2,599,913 Hancock June .10, 1952 

